All protocols

Use RIR/RPE to guide lifting; an 8 RPE corresponds to about 2 reps in reserve.

For older/perimenopausal women, emphasize heavy lifting with about 2 reps in reserve rather than high-rep fatigue work. The key when older is working heavy, not making 20-rep fatigue sets the main strategy.

Before a true strength training session, consume around 15 grams of high-quality protein. If someone prefers not to eat much before training or would otherwise train fasted, at least ingest some protein, potentially as a shake. If caffeine before workouts causes dizziness, nausea, or hypoglycemia, pair it with food.

Before cardiovascular work lasting up to about an hour, add about 30 grams of carbohydrate.

If eating a fuller pre-training meal, allow roughly half an hour before training.

Do not stay in a prolonged post-exercise catabolic state; delaying food after training is described as harmful for lean mass in women.

Consume high-quality, leucine-rich protein within 45 minutes after training. For women in reproductive years, aim for about 35 grams. For perimenopausal women and beyond, aim for 40 to 60 grams due to greater anabolic resistance.

For women, aim for about 0.3 grams per kilogram of carbohydrate within 2 hours of finishing training. If needed, carbohydrate can be added to yogurt after training.

General recommendation is at least 2 to 3 sessions per week, with 3 to 4 times per week preferred for many younger women. In women in their 40s+, aim for a minimum of 3 sessions emphasizing compound movements.

If younger women are training to failure, sessions may need to be about 45 to 60 minutes.

In the 30s, periodize training into roughly six-week blocks and build on them.

Choose upper/lower, total body, or another split based on what works for your life and available time, while allowing adequate rest.

For younger women, the key emphasis is working to failure to drive lean mass growth with strength.

Some literature supports emphasizing unilateral movements in older adults, not just bilateral simultaneous movements.

In mid-40s to early 50s, emphasize heavy lifting plus very easy recovery work and true high-intensity intervals, rather than spending lots of time in moderate intensity or making zone 2 the main optimization strategy.

Avoid making OrangeTheory-, F45-, SoulCycle-, or similar moderate-intensity classes the main strategy in women 40+; they are criticized for keeping women in moderate intensity, raising cortisol, and not delivering the desired high-intensity stimulus.

Long easy zone 2 work is framed as fine for mental health, nature exposure, and recovery, but not the main route for optimal health/body composition in older women.

For beginners intimidated by gyms, start with bodyweight movements at home such as lunges and squats while learning foot and knee positioning.

Use a backpack loaded with cans to add resistance for home training.

Use mobility work, such as Kelly Starrett's approach, to find movement sticking points before progressing.

Recommended as an accessible entry point before learning compound movements.

Take time to adjust seat height and machine settings to get the correct range of motion rather than just sitting down and lifting.

Use lighter dumbbell patterns such as thrusters or hang cleans to learn movement, momentum, and coordination.

Walking is framed as the very low-intensity recovery side of polarized training; if doing something long, keep it very easy.

Example polarized session: 20 minutes of heavy lower-body lifting followed by 30-second all-out sprint intervals with full recovery as needed between efforts.

From day 1 of bleeding through ovulation, women generally have greater capacity for stress and may use this phase for PR attempts, heavier loads, and high-intensity work.

In the luteal phase, roughly the week before the next period, increase protein intake because tissue-building demands are higher.

In the luteal phase, roughly the week before the next period, increase carbohydrate intake to help hit intensities and offset higher heart rate and stress.

If you wake up feeling awful, start the workout and reassess after 10 minutes. If you still cannot hit intensities or feel horrible, switch the session to recovery-oriented work.

Prioritize fueling in and around the exercise stressor itself, including high-intensity and resistance training, to protect recovery and menstrual function. This applies even when appetite is low around ovulation. If pursuing fat loss while training hard, keep any deficit slight and away from training, around 150 to 200 calories at night.